News

News

March 17, 2026

Iran keeps up attacks on neighbors after Israel says it killed 2 of its top officials

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel says it has killed two senior Iranian security officials in overnight strikes in a major wartime blow to the country’s leadership. Iran fired salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the deaths of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force. President Donald Trump said he’s been rejected by NATO and most allies to join a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, confirmed the killing of Soleimani. Iran has not confirmed or denied the reported killing of Larijani.

Trump postpones his China trip to focus on the war in Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is delaying a diplomatic trip to China that was planned for months but began to unravel as he pressured Beijing and other world powers to form a military coalition to protect the vital Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Tuesday while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office that he would be going to China in five or six weeks’ time instead of at the end of the month. Trump’s visit to China is seen as an opportunity to build on a fragile trade truce between the two superpowers, but it became tangled in his effort to find an endgame to his war in Iran.

Oil prices resume their rise, but US stocks hold steadier this time around

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices are resuming their rise because of the war with Iran, but U.S. stocks are holding steadier this time around. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% Tuesday and added to its gain from the day before, which was its best since the war began. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 151 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.5%. It’s a break from the usual playbook since the start of the war, where stock prices have tended to go in the opposite direction of oil prices. Airline stocks rose after Delta and American raised their revenue forecasts. Treasury yields eased.

Rubio calls for new Cuban leaders as latest blackout underscores deepening economic crisis

HAVANA (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling for “new people in charge” of Cuba as the socialist island experiences its third nationwide blackout in four months. U.S. President Donald Trump has called Cuba a “very weakened nation.” He said on Monday that he believes he’ll have the “honor of taking Cuba.” On Tuesday Rubio, who is of Cuban heritage, said the current government is incapable of addressing its economic problems. The island’s government blames its woes on a U.S. energy blockade after Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The country’s aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years, leading to daily outages.

Republicans are launching a voting bill debate that could last days or even weeks

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is issuing a warning to fellow Republicans as they launch an unprecedented effort to hold the Senate floor and talk for days about a voting bill. Trump says he’ll “NEVER (EVER!)” endorse anyone who votes against the bill. Tuesday’s GOP talkathon is an attempt to capture public attention on legislation requiring stricter voter registration rules. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has tried to navigate Trump’s insistence on the issue and Democrats’ united opposition. Trump has urged Thune to scrap the legislative filibuster or work around it to pass the bill. Thune says he doesn’t have the votes. Democrats say the bill would disenfranchise millions of voters.

Vatican appeals court declares mistrial in the ‘trial of the century’ against a cardinal

ROME (AP) — The Vatican appeals tribunal has declared a mistrial in the Holy See’s big “trial of the century.” It’s a stunning blow to both Pope Francis’ legacy and Vatican prosecutors who had prosecuted a cardinal and several other people on alleged financial crimes. In a 16-page ruling, the appeals court ruled that Francis and Vatican prosecutors both made procedural errors that nullified the original indictment of Cardinal Angelo Becciu and required a new trial. The court set a June 22 as the date for the new trial to begin. Defense lawyers say such a ruling is enormously significant if not historic, since it amounts to a Vatican court declaring an act of the pope had no effect.

How many rate cuts? Iran war upends Federal Reserve’s next steps

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Iran war has scrambled the Federal Reserve’s outlook on inflation and unemployment and will likely further delay interest rate cuts this year, putting off any relief for consumers struggling with high borrowing costs for home and car purchases. The spike in oil and gas prices presents already-divided Fed officials with a worst-case scenario as they conclude a key meeting Wednesday. Costlier gas will raise inflation in the short run, which typically causes the central bank to raise borrowing costs — or at least leave them unchanged. Yet if the spike is high enough or lasts long enough, it could hammer the economy and push up unemployment, which the Fed would typically respond to by cutting its key rate.

Flight cancellations and delays continue after US storms dump snow in the Midwest and head east

ATLANTA (AP) — Thousands of flights are canceled or delayed one day after powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the country and disrupted thousands of others. The flight-tracking site FlightAware says more than 1,000 flights scheduled to fly into, out of or within the U.S. have been called off Tuesday, It says 4,200 others have been delayed. Travelers have been facing additional jams at airport security checkpoints as a partial government shutdown strains screener staffing. The disruptions come at an already challenging time for air travel, in part because the shutdown that began Feb. 14 has pressured staffing at some security checkpoints.

Broncos get star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from Dolphins in a blockbuster trade, AP sources say

The Denver Broncos have acquired standout wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster deal that sends three draft picks to the Miami Dolphins, including a first-rounder, according to two people with knowledge of the trade. Both spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced. The Dolphins will receive the 30th overall pick in next month’s NFL draft along with picks in the third and fourth rounds. Denver will get Miami’s fourth-rounder along with Waddle. Waddle gives Bo Nix another main playmaker along with Courtland Sutton, boosting a passing offense that finished 11th in the NFL last season.

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